Victorian foster carers are reimbursed at among the worst rate in Australia, despite having the most children admitted to out of home care anywhere across the nation in the past year.

Dr Marilyn McHugh, of the Social Policy Research School, told the National Foster and Kinship Care Conference in Melbourne on Saturday that Victoria is “significantly under the estimate and second lowest across the nation (but) worst when taking into account complexities and the cost of living”.

“Of particular concern is Victoria which, after NSW (17,800), has the highest number of children in out of home care (9,705) - but provides some of the lowest levels of carer subsidy,” she said.